5 ways Paul balances a sporting life

19 May 2015 03:00 AM

Organisation is key

"It's not possible to play at an inter-county level, work and study without planning. At the start of the week we get a team schedule so I know when we're training and what's in store for the week. It means I can plan for everything else, like study."

Eating to win

"Making sure you're eating right means you can go for longer in training and on the pitch, without being tired in work. It's as simple as that.

"I also prepare my meals for the following day the night before to save time. You can't leave everything down to the last minute or it won't get done."

Time to recover

"Eight hours sleep is obviously ideal, but the lads who are working find that a bit difficult. You can sometimes get home from training at 11pm and some of us have to be up for work at 6:30am.

"In a perfect world you'd get the right amount of sleep, but there are other ways around it. We always find if you get a good smoothie or have an ice bath after training that helps recovery."

Bouncing back

"If you do get injured there are ways to make sure it doesn't affect your mindset. I find doing your recovery around your team mates helps massively. You get the support from them and you see what you're working to get back to, which gives you a lift.

"I've been riddled with injuries, and there would be people at the same standard as me who have gotten injured and let it affect them. But my advice would be to persevere and don't give up if there's a set back."

A social life

"Managing a social life is something all inter-county players struggle with. It comes back to time management. If you box off your study, work and gym time that means you can just relax when you have time with your family.

"At the end of the day, hurling plays a massive role in our lives but you need to find the right balance. You need family time."